There was a storm over Nerima that day
by Ar-Kaos
Summary: A little AU-continuation to get over writers block. Years later a worldly wise Nabiki gets a call from beyond the grave, and calls back at the wrong time
1. Default Chapter

**A Ghost of Christmas Past**

"There is a call for you Tendo-sama" Midori said from the office door. Nabiki was sat in her spacious office deep within one of the most expensive districts of downtown Osaka. It may not have been Tokyo but per square foot her office cost more than many hotel rooms. The office was a study in understated style, designed to focus a visitor's mind on the room's main occupant, Tendo Nabiki, CEO of Araska security division. That the company was really a very profitable front for the head of Japan's Yakuza council was entirely beside the point.

They had come to her in school and, as the saying goes, 'made her an offer she couldn't refuse.' Within the week she had moved from local entrepreneur to national player. By the end of the month she had more money going through her hands every week than her father had earned in his whole life, and was on a salary to ensure her 'honesty.' She had moved out of Nerima and never looked back. A small slice, a very small slice indeed, of her earnings went to support the dojo, and these days she didn't even bother to check it was still standing.

A little niggle in her mind regretted not going to university but she had bought enough qualifications to know that all she had really wanted from college she could have at the snap of her fingers now. She put it down to that long buried part of her that still wanted to be am innocent naïve girl who had never had to break the law.

"Who is it Midori-chan?" Nabiki asked.

"He claims to be your brother in law boss" Midori replied with a happy smile, the way her boss used that endearment just melted her deep down.

Now this threw Nabiki for a loop, there was simply no way that Tofu could have got this number, and she really wasn't keen on talking to him anyway. Any reminder of the 'good deed' she had done to put Tofu and Kasumi together made shivers run down her spine.

"Get a message" Nabiki replied, intent on not dealing with this now. She had a very interesting date lined up with a young gangboss. Toko had run the biggest Bozuka gang in Japan and was only now breaking into the big boy's world. He looked fine for the biker trash he was and Nabiki had every intention of enjoying him before the idiot got his cute ass capped.

Nabiki gave it no more thought until she was ready to leave. Now dressed in a killer black pin striped skirt-suit combination and some very serious heels she took the time to briefly admire her reflection. She knew she looked fantastic but that new haircut was worth every one of the one hundred and ten thousand yen she had paid for it. Yes she could have bought a stolen car for the same price but as the add said she 'was worth it.' She picked up her small bag and slung her coat over her shoulders and was in the elevator before she even registered picking up the message from Midori's lingering hand.

On the way down to her secure car park she idly opened the note and read what Tofu had to say, probably just another attempt to get her to come for Christmas. Only it wasn't, it wasn't about Christmas and it wasn't from Tofu. From beyond the grave came a message from Saotome Ranma, asking her to call him.

From Saotome Ranma +852 440 677 9899  
To:_Time: 17:45  
Message:_

_Anyone for special blend?_

Her heart raced, her vision blurred, either someone really knew how to yank her chains or somehow the pig-tailed boy was still alive. Here written on a stupid piece of tissue thin message paper was an old code-word she had developed with him before his death, a word that as far as she knew nobody else even knew existed. She had to fight the urge to call him from the lift. Instead she decided to wait until she was home.

The luxury imported sedan raced through the Rainy Osaka streets, driven by Nabiki's voluptuous chauffeur come bodyguard come occasional bedfellow, Tagshi Leta. But Nabiki saw nothing other than those last days of Nerima.

"Biki-chan I gotta go," Ranma said, lying next to her, still covered in sweat from their, 'talk' "There just isn't anything left here for me."

"Not even me? Nabiki asked teasingly, idly nipping at his dangling pigtail.

"I think you made it very clear where we stand Biki-chan" Ranma replied, with a hint of anger that had taken Nabiki years to place.

"So you are just going to run out on all the fiancées?" Nabiki asked, not really caring.

"Yup" Ranma replied, "I'll hav'ta fix things up a bit but yeah"

"And what of me, where shall I go what shall I do?" Nabiki lamented in as overacted way as she could manage.

"Frankly my dera I don't…"

"Give a damn" Nabiki finished for him.

"Yep one of those" he said, running his hand up her naked stomach to her ample chest.

"So I am going to be used and cast aside like some cheap-

"Don't say it" he hushed her, placing a finger gently on her lips. "Never say.." She bit his finger playfully.

"I wasn't even thinking about that" she replied. "Its old news. And besides that shithead is the one hiding in fear not me!" she added with a lack of concern that was mostly bravado. It hadn't been until very recently that Nabiki had managed to place exactly what had happened to Kinnosuke and even now it was more guess than evidence. She still found it hard to believe Ranma had changed so much after the wedding.

"Where you going?" she asked, always after an angle.

"Like I would tell you," he replied, half jokingly.

"You would if you loved me" she pouted, just as jokingly.

"Biki-chan" he whispered, stroking her face, and leaning in for a kiss. "If I thought for one moment…"

"What?" she said, yanking his braid, "You know I hate it when you get all deep and mysterious like that." But he had managed to distract her by other means and she had never got her answer. The next day Ranma was gone, the week after they had buried him.

o

o

o

o

Her penthouse apartment was dark as she walked in, a quick clap sorted that and a wave of her expertly manicured hand switched her state of the art music system on. She slinked over to her patent leather couch and sat, picking up first her fluffy grey cat and then her phone. Even so she found it hard to dial the numbers, Ranma was still a tender spot on her consciousness. She knew that she had wrecked the poor guy for her own amusement and even she had to feel a little shitty for it. The truth was at the time she had needed him and he hadn't known what hit him until it was too late. It had worked out fantastically for her, just the sort of therapy she had needed but he had never been the same afterwards.

His marriage to Akane had been doomed from the beginning, everybody must have known that deep down, there certainly weren't that many tears shed by her family at that dissolution. Not that Akane's second marriage was any better, or any less fatal, but at least that one appeared to have hurt her rather than just angered her. To this day she still could not get over the elder Saotome's nonchalance; it had taken them little more than a shrug to decide to try again with the next one.

To be honest the person who seemed most cut up about the whole thing was Kodachi, who very nearly cut herself up over the pig-tailed boy's demise. Of course Nabiki knew the secret basis of that hero-worship complex and could hardly begrudge the girl her grief.

By the time Nabiki had taken up her post in Osaka Ranma's Nerima had fallen to pieces. All the weirdoes that he had drawn to him disappearing back into the woodwork and leaving the whole area strangely empty. Even the nutter kendoist had found a new hobby and disappeared to the other side of the world to pursue it.

"You are stalling" Nabiki told herself and started to dial. As the phone started to ring at the other end she found herself holding her breath.

"Hello" said a deep velvet voice in pure unaccented English.

"Moshi moshi" she replied, testing the proverbial waters.

"Ohayou" replied the voice in just as perfect enunciated Japanse. "What can I do for you?"

"A childhood friend of mine gave me this number" Nabiki replied. "Asked if I wanted a special blend of tea."

"Tendo Nabiki?" the voice asked.

"Maybe?" Nabiki replied, growing more wary.

"Hang on, I'll get the boss" the voice answered. Nabiki raised an eyebrow in silent wonder and waited, hearing only a few odd clicks and silence.

"Ossu" came a voice that was unmistakably Ranma, it had that same self-assurance and rough lilt that had driven so many to lust after him. "Biki?" he asked.

"Maybe?" she replied, smiling and settling deeper into her couch.

"Look now really isn't a good time beautiful" he added. "Can you call again in like maybe half an hour?" She was just about to agree when she heard the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

"Oi!" she demanded "what is going on there?"

"Oh sorry Biki" Ranma answered "some dog-soldiers were trying the back door."

"Dog-soldiers?" Nabiki asked.

"Ya know- fuzz" Ranma replied, over another burst of fire. "Look I really gotta go, them shitheads are getting smarter."

"Ranma" Nabiki asked "I really don't want to be involved with a cop killer"

"Shit" Ranma shouted, and Nabiki heard a sharp 'thwack' noise, "tosser!" he swore. "Look Nabs" he continued "Trust me okay, this is not nearly as bad as it sounds." But in the background she could make out that first voice shouting "DIE!" repeatedly and punctuating it with gunfire.

"Okay" Nabiki conceded "we'll talk later"

"Cheers sexy" he replied and the line went dead.

"Since when did he call me that?" Nabiki mused at her cat. "And just how long has he been getting into firefights?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Tendo-sama report 330K1 is ready for your perusal" Midori informed the exec. Nabiki was sat in her office, busy informing one of her agents that his life was coming to an end.

"Thank you Midori" Nabiki replied over the office com before turning back to the pale young man in front of her. "Now Soruba-san lets talk about yopur latest report for a moment."

"My r-r-report?" he stuttered, opening his hands to catch the porfolio his boss threw at him. This was the first time he had ever met the infamous 'Ice Queen' of Arasaka Osaka and it was all he could do to keep his sphincter shut. Mere hours ago he had been on assignment watching one of the local go gangs, and assessing them for suitability in one of Arasaka's 'street level ordinance tests.' It was the best job he had ever had, the company looked after everything he needed and more. On the street he walked like a god among sinners, safe and secure that the company had his back. To the gangs he worked with he was THE source of cutting edge gear. What ever he said went, he was king and prophet all rolled into one. But now he wasn't on the street, he was in the Osaka Tower and he was so scared that he couldn't even hold his papers still.

While the young man was rereading his last report looking for where he had slipped up Nabiki turned to her computer and pulled up the report. The words hit her like a bucket full of ice water. There in black and white were the details of her conversation with a dead man.

o

o

Report 330-K-1

_Project code TN-330-1_

_Secrecy level Beta One_

_Contents:_

_Voice analysis_

_-accent_

_-hypothesised link_

_-psychological breakdown._

_Voice stress analysis_

_Ambient Noise analysis_

_-weapons used_

_-room size_

_-physical contacts_

_Special requests_

_Page 1 of 10_

_o_

_o_

Nabiki flicked her eyes to the distressed soon-to-be-former agent and back to her screen. The report was stunning, not in its depth, Nabiki was already accustomed to the sheer volume of information that the tech department could produce from such little information, but in what it revealed. Saotome Ranma had indeed been in a firefight, and had been managing it in style. As Nabiki looked through the pages her smile grew and grew. The final lines of the report were a brief summation of the people revealed on the recording. In all her years she had never seen as glowing a report.

Soruba saw the smile and breathed a sigh of relief, perhaps this wasn't going to be as bad as he had feared. Perhaps she hadn't found out about the slush fund, perhaps…

"Don't even dream that smile is for you Soruba-san" Nabiki said without turning. "So do you have anything you would like to add?" she questioned, finally turning back to him. The look she offered seemed more amused than interrogatory so Soruba made the second mistake of the interview, he tried to joke.

"A few zeros to my salary?" he hazarded, counting on his charm to carry him through, after all Tendo-sama was a chick. His answere was a look that chilled him to the bone. Without apparently moving Tendo-sama's attitude suddenly changed, the smile was gone and the eyes seemed to burn. Silence stretched. Soruba started sweating again.

"I think you have failed to grasp the nature of this meeting Soruba-san" Nabiki said in a voice that spoke of Arctic winds. "We" she began, slowly standing and turning her back on the agent and looking out over the city, "do not look kindly on failure."

"Tendo-sama" Soruba began, only to be interrupted by an upraised hand.

"It is far too late for that Soruba-san" Nabiki said without turning around. "Maybe if you had stolen just a little less, maybe if you had been a little better at your job, maybe if you had kept your mouth shut just a little better…. But no you didnb't"

"Tendo-sama" Soruba started again. This time Nabiki interrupted by whirling around, suddenly the agent found himself facing the very angry looking Banshee.

"NO Soruba-san!" She exclaimed, "There is nothing you can say that I want to hear. You have broken every rule we laid down, have betrayed the Company's trust time and time again. You may think you were subtle, You were not. You may think that you had secrets, we know them all. You may think that you are smart, you are nothing.

"Soruba-san all that remains now is how to break you. What manner of punishment we can deliver to make sure your successor does not make the same mistakes!"

"Tendo-sama, please" Soruba begged, all traces of pride gone. "I'll do anything just don't.."

"Anything?" Nabiki whispered, the word came like a beam of light into his suddenly dark world, he clung to it like a drowning man clutches a raft.

"Yes Tendo-dono anything!" he enthused.

"Good" Nabiki said, sitting back down "There is one service you may yet offer your company….."

0

o

o

A week later Nabiki was sat in one of her favourite restaurants reading a paper due out the following morning. On the front cover was a story:

"_**Araska wins the right to police their own suburbs**.  
Following the death of one of their upcoming agents and his family at the hands of a gang…._"

Her smile was small but sincere, it also chilled the waitress pouring her coffee so badly that she shivered all the way back to the kitchen. Nabiki continued reading her paper, uncaring.

"Tea Ma'am?" another waitress asked. Nabiki looked up in irritation, and then pointedly back down again, at her full coffee cup. "It's a _Special Blend" _the waitress explained before pouring Nabiki a cupful into the separate chinaware. Nabiki was once more caught off guard. She quickly scanned the room, looking for Ranma, nothing. It was only then she turned to have a better look at the girl, only to see instead her retreating back.

Nabiki stood and followed. The girl glanced backwards only once, confirming Nabiki's presence. It was also enough to confirm that the girl was not Ranma, disguised or not. She was simply too tall.

The girl led Nabiki straight through the kitchen and out of the back door. No sooner had the doors closed than Nabiki realised she was alone, the girl had disappeared. She turned and moved to leave, only to be interrupted by a voice she hadn't heard in the flesh for years.

"Leaving so soon Biki-chan?"

"Ranma?" she said, whirling back around. And indeed there he stood, where beforehand there had been only empty street there now stood the figure of a man whose funeral she had attended.

"Hiya beautiful" he said, opening his arms. He was stood there looking healthier than ever. His dark hair was, as usual, in a long pigtail, only differing in that now it reached to his waist. He was wearing a loose white shirt and some black combat pants. Over this he wore a stylish black coat, done in the latest 'Edgrerunner' style and unmistakably armoured. As Nabiki ran to him, unaware that she was even doing so part of her mind noted the twined handguns in undershoulder holsters

"Ranma" she breathed, suddenly wrapped once more in his powerful arms, pressed against his toned chest. She inhaled his unique scent, filling her lungs with him.

Ranma for his part squeezed the woman to him, suddenly taken back though time and space to the last days in Nerima.

"How, who, why?" she murmured, tears falling unnoticed down her face.

"Hey beautiful" he interrupted, lifting her chin and wiping away a tear. He was going to say more but suddenly he found himself trapped by her eyes, his blue locked into her brown. Their lips met and the world fell away. For a few brief moments the entirety of creation was narrowed to two bodies pressed together.

O

O

O

Tendo Nabiki awoke slowly, a smile on her face. Suddenly the insistent tone of her phone cut through the morning haze. She sat up and picked up the phone, mumbling her answers as her mind slowly caught up with her body. Even as she re-organised her day for the late start she looked around.

She was lying naked in her disordered silken bed, his smell still everywhere. Her expensive pantsuit carelessly thrown across the floor, her shoes scattered on the priceless rug, her underwear similarly discarded, but not hanging from the lightshade as she had half expected.

There on the breakfast bar was a single red rose and a note, but no Ranma, once more he was gone with the dawn,


End file.
